President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo will push for Charter Change in a "Sigaw ng Bayan Charter Change Rally" at the Paglaum Sports Complex in Bacolod City on March 9, Gov. Joseph Marañon said .

The rally in the afternoon of March 9 is part of the proposed itinerary of the president's visit that includes separate meetings with local leaders, sugar planters and the business community where she is expected to explain her stand on Charter Change.

The president wants a shift from presidential to a parliamentary form of government and will explain this during her visit, Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (Neg. Occ. 5th district) said.

A parliamentary form of government will prevent coups that disrupt the economic progress of the country, because when people lose faith it their leaders parliament can just be dissolved, he said.

Arroyo said he is favor of changing the Constitution through a Constituent Assembly that would be a cheaper and faster process.

The six solons of Negros Occidental, Marañon and Vice Governor Isidro Zayco met Sunday to discuss Arroyo's visit.

Asked why Bacolod Rep. Monico Puentevella was not at the meeting, Marañon said it was Rep. Arroyo who had informed him about the meeting and Puentevella is not under his jurisdiction.

Vicente Paterno told ABS-CBN yesterday he was disassociating himself from the Constitutional Commission saying the transition toward a parliamentary form of government until 2010 would give President Arroyo more powers, a claim her camp has denied.*CPG

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